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So how come do one’s actions and behaviors

change with substance use? Actually all these

changes stem from the changes in brain’s

operation system. Turkish Green Crescent

Science Board Member and Psychological

Counselor Uğur Evcin informed us about

the effects during the substance use and its

aftermath.

Addiction is a ‘brain disease’

Studies show that healthy brain development in

human beings takes place between the ages of

5 and 20. The last developing part of the brain

is called frontal cortex. This lobe is important for

skills related to decisionmaking, learning and

controlling. Since addictive substances change

brain and its operating system, addiction is a

brain disease.

Substance use can cause permanent damage in

adolescents’ brains.

Addictive substances affect the brain of

an adolescent far more than an adult brain.

Adolescent brain is still in its development

process and its all areas do not function yet.

Studies show that the damage caused by the

substance in developing brains is more likely to

be permanent.

Memory starts to collapsewith brain’s new

order

Drugs form a new order in brain neurons within

time and cause addicts to get less pleasure out

of life. This negatively affects the brain’s certain

areas related to decision making, learning,

memory, sleeping, controlling emotion and

behavior. It causes the addict to have a lower IQ

level and get poor grades from tests. Also, the

addict has a difficulty in remembering what he

says or what he does after the usage.

Addiction causes control loss

The addictive substances negatively affect one’s

coordination, harm his sports and driving skills

and make him clumsy. The substance abuse

creates anxiety, hostility and paranoia within

time.

WHAT HAPPENS IN YOUR BRAIN?

* Social environment

The substance use starts with getting accustomed to

its culture and is completed with trying it. Substance

use culture is learned in the social environments away

from adult control where close friends hang out and

have fun. Places such as internet cafes and video

arcades, where young people prefer to go after school

hours, are the most risky ones. Substance can be

easily offered when friends catch an intimate and warm

atmosphere or when one feels sad, distressed and

angry. In such situations, it would be harder to refuse

the substance due to the prevalent atmosphere.

Substance is generally offered for the first time at

the places where people feel safe. Especially an

adolescent’s house is preferred at the time of the day

when parents are not at home. Those who cannot find

a secure home have their first experience in isolated

places such as deserted buildings, parks or gardens.

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SPRING 2015